These Twists and Turns of Fate
by Spunky Mutt
Summary: Cured or not, I was going back to her. I missed her, but I had no idea so much had happened while I was gone. Why did I ever leave...?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** This is my first Slayers fanfic, but I'm very confident (I usally write Starfox fanfics mainly). I've seen this kind of plot-line done once or twice in other fanfics, and I thought I'd take a crack at it. I've always loved this kind of story, especially for Zel/Amelia, so here we go! There may be some creative liscensing in here, a little ooc, since I'm sure I don't have some aspects down XD

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SLAYERS. ALL OF THAT WONDERFUL-NESS GOES TO ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS, BUT NOT ME.**

P.S. I name each chapter a lyric line from different songs, so lets turn it into a harmless contest! First one to guess correctly the song the chapter titles are named after wins!

* * *

**I can't wait to see you, 'cause I'm on my way home...**

The commotion of the city crowds made his sensitive ears twitch in mild annoyance that same way a dog might find the buzz of a pesky mosquito in its ear equally irritating, but the noise was the least of his troubles. It had been at least four years since he was last in this place. He hadn't meant to stay away so long, and his heart lurched in its cage at the thought of how she must have felt having to await his return for so long. Seyruun was a special place for him full of happy memories that always incited smiles on the chimera's lips.

He'd had adventures here in the past, but eh better part of those days rested in the weeks before he last left. Zelgadis' heart thumped as he remembered. He couldn't remember any other time he'd known such a pure state of bliss. Those days with her were the best he'd spent in a long time.

Somewhere in his secret heart he'd known all along he loved Amelia, but he wasn't ready to admit it to himself back then, much less admit it to her. He'd done some healing during the years he'd spent in his numerous adventures with Lina and company, and when Amelia suddenly invited him back to Seyruun with her after the near-cataclysmic trial with Dark Star, he'd found himself wanting to say yes despite his original "I'll think it over" answer. He'd known then he was ready for something more.

It took time and quite a bit of mustered courage for the both of them to confess what they'd been hiding, but when the words were said, as clumsy and almost incoherent as they may have been, and the pressure off, the chemistry between them had exploded like fireworks, and they found out quickly just how right for each other they really were. Sure, it had been a slow and awkward start, but once they warmed up to the change, they couldn't be stopped.

Zel grinned slightly beneath the mask of his hood-and-cloak as he moved leisurely through the city streets. What wonders even the little moments had been! However, as time passed with her, as amazing and tender as it was, his thoughts had begun to slide back away to his lost cure. He loved Amelia, and that would never change, but his body was his weakness. Maybe if he had seen all there was to see, found out for himself that there was, in fact, no cure for the monstrous cancer Rezo had cursed him with all those years ago, he could have better accepted it and tried harder to adapt to life with the beautifully ugly shell of stone and wire encasing his skin, but the world was still vast and hiding secrets from him. The knowledge that there was still a chance of finding something, _anything_, somewhere kept him successfully distracted, and it didn't take long for Amelia to figure it all out.

Sensing his indecision, she had urged him, with a great deal of sadness, to go and find his cure.

_"You'll never be able to live with yourself until you've found a way to change back," _she had mused sorrowfully, _"regardless of how I see you. You have to go."_

The chimera-man stopped in hesitation when he neared the grand castle. It _had_ been four years though. What could he possibly say to her to make that okay? He fiddled nervously with the bracelet she had given him the night before he left, thumbing the blue bulb absently. He had gotten so carried away in his pursuit, found lead after dead-end lead. After his last fruitless endeavor, he'd finally had enough. He missed the happiness without disappointment. With Amelia he could almost pretend he was human again. He wanted to come back to her.

And now here he was, shrouded in uncertainty as he peered through a gate into the courtyard she usually spent her free time in. His heart skipped a frantic beat when he finally spotted her. She looked exactly the same and yet so different.

Amelia was seated at a small, decorative cast-iron table half-heartedly reading some nameless book. She had obviously grown, but she had changed more than that. A new depth of emotion filled her eyes and almost made them seem tired and troubled, which unsettled him slightly. The breeze tugged lightly at her yellow sundress and pushed her blue-black hair into her face. She stopped and looked up to brush it back, and their eyes locked for a split moment. It was long enough for her to notice her new visitor, and she jolted startled at first. His stomach churned uneasily as he thought he saw a trace of fear flash in her eyes briefly. She jumped out of her seat but went no further, and the two of them just stood and stared stunned for a moment or two.

"Zelgadis…" her frail murmur filled him with longing.

He wanted so desperately to break down the metal gate and run to her. This uncomfortable silence was burning holes in his heart the longer he watched her. What was wrong?

Amelia, as if sensing his urge, took a step forward, paused, and finally burst out into a flat sprint towards him. Zel gripped a bar and smiled warmly as she stopped at the gate.

"Hey," he whispered.

"You finally came back." she pressed a hand to his cheek lovingly and smiled, tears welling in her sapphire eyes.

He placed the hand holding her bracelet, the symbol of their unspoken bond, over hers.

"I made a promise." he said to her gently.

Her soft gaze radiated warmth and fondness, and, realizing he was still on the other side, she unfastened the latch and opened the gate to let him in. Zelgadis closed it behind him, and Amelia caught him off guard with a kiss. Arms wrapped tight around each other, all the words they could have said to express how much they missed the other fizzled out and became the energy they channeled through each other. She broke it off and nuzzled him affectionately.

"I'm so sorry Amelia. I didn't mean to be gone so long." he stroked his fingers through her silky strands.

"I worried you'd never come back, that maybe something had happened," he felt her shiver in his arms, and she looked him in the eye again, "but none of that matters anymore. You're just fine, and you're here now." she frowned sympathetically, "But even after all this time you never found your cure."

"No," he sighed, "I found so many possibilities, but they all came up short. I couldn't get you out of my head the whole time I was gone."

She kissed his lips sweetly, and he rested his forehead on hers.

"What about you?" he asked, "I want to hear everything that's happened."

Amelia's mood shifted suddenly at his words. "Why don't we go inside and talk, Zelgadis?" she said troubled and pulled away.

Warning beacons flared everywhere in his head. "What's wrong?"

"A lot's happened while you were away. We really need to talk first, but not here." she looked afraid, almost terrified now.

Worry sent a shiver down him. "Amelia, what happened?"

Now she was trembling as she grabbed his hand and tugged at it. "Let's go somewhere more private to talk."

Shaken by her sudden nervousness, Zelgadis followed uneasily. Possibilities reeled in his mind, none of them good. Was she sick? Had she found someone else? They walked past the table and towards the door leading inside. Then he saw _him_.

He had a head of black hair that fell loosely just over the nape of his neck and thin, pointed ears. He sat in the grass playing with a big black wolf-like dog with amber eyes. The sound of them passing by caught his attention, and he looked behind him to see, ears twitching curiously. His earthy gray-green eyes stared innocently into Zel's, and the chimera man's heart dropped to the pit of his stomach, the breath caught in his throat. A broken ring of scab-like stone circled his left eye.

Zelgadis' eyes widened stunned, and the shock left him weak. His vision went blurry and then dark, and he heard Amelia shriek in surprise before his senses left him completely.

It was a boy that stared up at him with such innocent curiosity, a boy no older than four years.

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**Author's Note: **So there you have it! I appreciate reviews ^w^


	2. Chapter 2

**Right now I feel just like a leaf on a breeze. Who knows where it's blowing?...**

_"I want you to take this with you, Zelgadis."_

_In the dim of his room, he could make out the deep blue orb of her bracelet, and he inwardly gasped in surprise._

_"Amelia, I…" he trailed off, the words lost to him._

_She placed it in his hand and gently curled his fingers over it. "It's something to remember me by." she said, stroking his knuckles with a sad thoughtfulness as tears came to her eyes and her voice wavered, "I don't want you to forget…"_

_Zel sighed with a sympathetic smile and took her in his arms, holding her close._

_"I know," he murmured tenderly in her ear, "I promise I'll come back to you."_

_She calmed down some and embraced him. Tentatively, she leaned deeper into him and kissed him full-on, hesitant in her approach but very clear in her message._

_"I promise I'll wait for you. I don't care how long it takes." She vowed with a passionate determination that overwhelmed him._

_Overcome with want, he took her words, spoken and unspoken, to heart and drew her even closer to him with a tender and trembling sweetness._Exhaustion washed over Zel as he finally came around. It took a moment for his senses to clear up, but he instantly recognized his old room. The sunlight streamed in through the open balcony, and the fresh breeze beckoned him to get up. He could hear voices just outside the door leading out into the hallway, but with his head still foggy he couldn't make heads or tails of what they were saying. Memory returned to him as he sat up, and he held his head in his hands as everything washed over him again.

* * *

He remembered Amelia's fearful expression and his own fears as he followed her inside, and then everything went fuzzy. No, he had seen a boy, and _that_ had terrified him. It was all coming back to him as Amelia came in and quickly closed the door behind her, the waves of anger emanating from her at a startling intensity.

"Oh good, you're okay." She sighed relieved, the heat of her emotion cooling, "You really scared me back there."

"Sorry," he said embarrassed as she sat down beside him and then had to ask, "Who were you talking to?"

"My dad," she looked downcast, "Word got around pretty fast that you were here after you passed out. He can't get it through his head that I can handle my own problems now."

Zel could find nothing to say in response. He had seen so much so fast that his head was still spinning from the effort of trying to sort it all out. Where could he start?

Amelia started for him. "I know you saw him." Her voice was tired with defeat as she spoke of the little boy.

Zel wasn't sure he really wanted to know anymore, but there was no turning back now. "Who is he?"

"His name's Aiden."

His mouth went dry as he asked further, his heart pounding, "Is he...you know..." He couldn't bring himself to ask, but he just had to know.

Amelia couldn't look at him as she answered, "Yes," he could feel her trembling next to him, "He's your son."

Zelgadis was speechless. A surge of emotion threatened to sweep him away, the fear and guilt overwhelming him. Words could not begin to express what went through his head, so he just sat there in a stupor trying to soak it all in.

Amelia clutched the bed sheets tightly. "Please say something."

It felt like reality was tearing apart. He couldn't tell if he was still dreaming or not, but Amelia's fragile tone brought him back. This was really happening. "I...I'm sorry...I don't know what to say. I mean...I had a feeling when I saw him out there, but..."

"You hoped it wasn't true." She got up with a shaky sigh.

"Amelia..." He was at a loss.

She gave him a pained look that stabbed him in his chest. "I know you're scared, Zelgadis, I can see it all over you."

"Can you really blame me?" He sighed tiredly and rubbed his hands over his face.

"No, I guess not," she smiled ever-so-slightly, "I was terrified when I found out."

"I'm so sorry, Amelia, for everything."

She shook her head with a little grin and sat back down with him, taking his hand in hers. "I'm not."

The pain of his guilt and his fear welled in his eyes and he couldn't bear to look at her broken smile, an expression that now revealed to him new and lonely chapters of her life he hadn't seen before.

"I wasn't there." He said dismally.

"You didn't do anything wrong." A new determination rang in her voice, the voice of a fighter, "There was no way you could've known. It's not your fault."

The genuine sincerity of her voice made him feel a little better, but doubt and uncertainty still plagued his head. He drew in a long deep breath and exhaled as if trying to relieve the pressure the gravity of the moment had pushed down onto his heavy shoulders.

"So what now?" He asked after a long pause.

"I'm not sure, but we'll figure this all out." She leaned into him and hugged him comfortingly, perhaps even comforting herself, "For now, let's just take the rest of the day to let everything soak in."

He sighed as she got up to leave, and just as she opened the door, she stopped and turned back to him. "Just one thing...don't say anything about this to Aiden...not yet."

"Okay," he nodded, hiding the grateful tone in his voice. He wasn't sure he wanted to say anything to the boy just yet anyway.

With that, she left him to the silence, and he fell back on the bed tiredly. His mind was in a whirl of confusion with so much to take in.

As he stared up at the ceiling, he finally managed to whisper mystified, "I have a son...and his name's Aiden."

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**Author's Note: **Yeah, sorry about the shortness of this one, guys. I typed the majority of this on my phone during some free time, and I couldn't tell if it was too long or too short, so I just uploaded it and washed my hands of it XD. I've already got a start on chapter 3, so hopefully that'll get up soon. Thanks for the feedback! It's very much appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

**I keep hiding behind this smile...**

Amelia felt as if her heart was about to burst. She'd thought about this day for four years, but no amount of rehearsing lines or playing various scenarios through her head could have prepared her for the sheer terror of having to explain to Zelgadis that he had a son. It had taken everything for her not to break down, but she was exceedingly grateful for the merciful turn of events. He had taken the news as she had expected, quiet and dignified, but she knew it was going to take time for them both to adjust. Despite everything, she couldn't help but smile a little in her heart. He came back. The only man she had ever loved, the only man she ever _could_ love, _would_ love, finally came back to her. His absence had left a hole in her heart that only his gentle whispers and loving kisses could patch back up. As she made her way back down the hallway from his room, she recalled how it had been after he left.

Amelia had never felt so afraid and utterly alone. How could she tell her dad and her friends that she was pregnant? How would they take it? She had been so stricken with terror that she just didn't say anything, which turned out to be a terrible decision. When Lina, with Gourry in tow, had come to pay her a visit during their travels, she'd finally spilled her guts, quite literally, and confessed to them first. The morning sickness had quickly become her enemy during the weeks before their arrival, and the battle between her and the overpowering nausea paired up with her increasingly sensitive gag reflex made life difficult, especially when her job involved dealing with people in important positions. It only got harder and harder to hide her condition when every little upset set her off. Even something as harmless as sticking her toothbrush just a little too far back elicited a couple sickening moments with her head bent down into places not intended for her face.

She couldn't hide forever, and Lina managed to deduce _something_ was up, and once the cat was let out of the bag, it felt like everything had suddenly had the color drained out of it and left behind a gloom of neutrals. Her dad had reacted in the predictable and reasonable shocked freak-out, but he had managed to recover his cool in a timely manner. From then on, she was seen in a new light, and that frightened her. She could feel her friends' pity, her father's disappointment, and her peers' silent judgment all at once like a red-hot poker digging into her flesh. As if all of that hadn't been enough, a new choice had been presented to her.

* * *

_"So what will you do, Amelia?" Lina asked._

_"What do you mean?" she answered unsure._

_"You don't necessarily have to keep the baby, Amelia," Phil explained, "You could always give it to another family to take care of."_

_"Adoption? How can you say that!?"_

_"Amelia, it's not a bad idea to consider. Raising a kid's a serious thing." Lina pointed out._

_Amelia sighed. "I know, but I just don't think I could live with myself if I gave it up. It doesn't feel right."_

_"But you're not ready for this level of responsibility." Phil argued._

_"I'm capable of making my own decisions, Daddy." She snapped but deflated apologetically, "I know it won' be easy. I don't expect it to be. I see it as a challenge, and as far as I know I've never backed down from a challenge in my life."_

_Phil sighed in defeat. "So you're mind's made up."_

_"You realize you'll have to tell Zel everything when he comes back." Lina added with a knowing stare._

_She nodded her reply with the resolve to cross over the point of no return._

_"That Zelgadis," Phil growled, "He'd better thank his lucky stars he left when he did. I don't want to see him around here for a long time."_

_"Daddy, don't say that! This is just as much my fault!"_

_He only huffed and got up from his seat at the table they had been discussing at, "You have a lot of faith in this man, Amelia, for your sake I hope he lives up to it."_

_The prince left her and Lina, his chilling words worming their way into Amelia's head slowly but surely._

* * *

"Hi, Mommy!" piped Aiden sweetly, "Is your friend sick?"

Amelia came out of thought and saw she had returned outside. She looked down to see her small boy looking back up at her with wide and bright eyes and laughed lightly, kneeling down to straighten his mussed hair.

"No, he was just tired. He'd been walking a long time." She told him as she ran her fingers through his hair in a makeshift comb and pulled out sprigs of grass as she went.

His onyx-black strands weren't sharp or wiry like Zelgadis'. Instead they were just wildly bristly like the pelt of an angry wolf, only slightly stiffer than a dog's guard hairs.

He squirmed impatiently as she fixed him up, and when she let him loose again, he bounded back to the black dog, who was now accompanied by another strange boy.

Gray wolf ears sprouted from the top of his head, the right limply flopped over. Fluffy silver hair fell around his face loosely. His eyes were mismatched, the right a sharp gold and the left a cloudy powder blue. A tiny bushy lupine tail wagged frantically behind him, and he stood up on white wolf feet to meet Aiden.

"I see Luca's come for a visit." she mused pleasantly.

Luca was a strange little boy. He'd stumbled into Seyruun a few months ago without any memory of what he was or where he came from. He'd been badly hurt and found refuge in the garden surrounding the castle, and if Dracu, the dog the boys played with, hadn't sniffed him out, he wouldn't have lasted any longer than a day. He was a skittish wild-boy and came and went as he pleased, which concerned Amelia. He wasn't any older than Aiden, and it was hardly at all safe for him to be wandering the city alone. She'd tried to give him a home with her and Aiden, but he was just so easily spooked when it came to the castle. They could never keep him inside, and he seemed to have _some _place he was staying during the night, so all she could do was take care of him while he was still here.

"Dracu says he smells funny." Luca yipped.

The big black dog gave a small whine of what she guessed was agreement, his feather-plume tail waving casually back and forth.

The wolf-boy had the unique gift of understanding and communicating with dogs. He, Aiden, to whom he'd taken to try and teach the canine language, and Dracu had grown almost inseperable as a result. It was a strange trio, but she couldn't complain.

Aiden didn't get to get out much because of their situation, and she was thankful he had a friend to play with. He and Luca had taken to each other like brothers.

"That's because Dracu's never met him before." She answered him amused.

"How long's he gonna be here?" Aiden asked curiously.

"I don't know." She answered honestly, "But I want you to both to be on your best behavior while he's here."

"Okay," they both chimed before Dracu loped off.

"Really? Where?" Luca scampered after him excitedly.

"What'd he say?" Aiden looked behind him.

"He said he smelled a squirrel somewhere. Let's go find it and chase it!"

Aiden looked up at Amelia pleadingly, and she nodded in a small laugh. "Go ahead, just stay where I can see you."

The little boy grinned wide, revealing tiny fangs, and bounded after his friend.

Amelia, with nothing else to do, sat back at her table and idly thumbed through the pages of the book she had left behind in the haste of the moment. Her son's question had left a lingering impact on her, and she thought back to her father's words reluctantly.

_What will you do now, Zelgadis?_


	4. Chapter 4

**I can't tell you how much I wish we could shut-up and smile!**

The rest of the day passed by quietly. As the sun set on another day, Zelgadis nervously made his way down the hall to the dining area. The moment he had been dreading was upon him, and his resolve was shaky, he would admit. The idea of dinner with Amelia was fine with him, but that now included Phil and, more importantly, his son. He wasn't keen on having to face Phil, but Aiden was another story. What was he supposed to say? He'd never been good with kids, but he'd never had enough contact with them to really know this for a fact either. He sighed, feeling trapped, anxious and excited all at once.

"Here goes nothing." he muttered to himself as he rounded a corner, having been here enough times to know that he was nearing the dining hall.

The last time he saw Aiden was just before he passed out, and he hadn't exactly gotten a good look at him then. When Amelia came around from the opposite end with the small boy, he had to hide the twinge of reluctance threatening to leak out. He kept telling himself to maintain his cool as they met up at the door.

He hadn't expected Aiden to be so small, but he _was_ only four after all. His jet-black hair was kempt and falling at the nape of his neck, a bang falling over his right eye. His eyes were such a strange gray-green, like a thin, wet sheet of moss clinging to deep blue-gray stone. Zel remembered seeing the stone around his eye the color of old scabs, and he suppressed a shiver of regret for the boy. His son would have to face the same struggle as he. He wore a blue shirt, hemmed with silver, with a white long-sleeved undershirt and a pair of black shorts and shoes.

"Aiden, this is my very good friend Mr. Zelgadis." Amelia told the boy, who looked up at him the way a small-town citizen marvels at a skyscraper.

The chimera-man couldn't help but smile amused. He hadn't heard that usage in a long time.

"Hello," he smiled brightly, his little fangs gleaming.

"Hello," Zel smiled back warmly.

That was all he could say before he saw Phil come up looking grim.

"Zelgadis," he grunted almost awkwardly.

"Hello, Phil." he replied uncomfortably. _Here we go_, he thought.

As they entered the hall and took their seats, Zelgadis guessed that the only thing keeping a lid on Phil was Aiden, because he fidgeted and finally sighed in defeat. He wouldn't say anything while the boy was here with them, and for that he was grateful.

The remainder of the evening was passed in uncomfortable silence. Nothing was said aloud, but it didn't take a telepath to understand the thoughts of everyone around. Aiden had been the only one un-phased and had eaten obliviously. Much to his relief, everyone had chosen to retire early, giving him a much-needed break from the drama.

It didn't matter though. His thoughts followed him all the way to his bed and loomed over him all night. He hadn't been able to sleep. All he could think about was Amelia and Aiden. The thoughts turned over and over in his head like pebbles in a river current. Amelia had carried _his_ son. The notion blew his mind. What had that been like? Guilt tugged at his heart-strings. She had looked on him with such heartfelt longing. She had truly missed him. And what of Aiden? It hadn't appeared to hit him yet that he was missing a father, but children are naturally curious creatures. He would ask sooner or later, and what then? What would they answer with? Zel didn't know anything about being a father, his own family riddled with death and deception. He sighed as the sun began to rise and turned away from the light.

He must have gotten _some_ sleep then, because the next thing he new, the light in the room had brightened considerably. He opened his eyes and found he was now staring at a pair of amber eyes looking back at him intently across a long black snout. Startled, he jolted up with a yelp, which excited the dog. It leapt up and tackled Zelgadis back down on the bed and, with its tail wagging playfully, swiped its slippery, pink-putty tongue over his face in a smattering of wet kisses.

Zel squirmed and sputtered in protest and, with some effort, manage to push the large canine frame off of him. He quickly got out of bed, furiously wiping the dog slobber from his face. The dog danced on its paws with a small whine.

"What?" he deadpanned, "I've got nothing for you."

It let out a small soft bark and waggled its rump in the air with tongue lolling.

"Sorry, I don't play." he looked to the door as a thought dawned on him, "Did…did _you_ open that and get in here on your own?"

It rested on its haunches and whined bored, head tilting to the side as if to say, "Yeah, so?"

Zel's eyes popped. "And you were just watching me sleep this whole time!?"

The dog reared up and rested its front paws on his chest. It looked like a warrior in its own way. Light patches in its fur revealed old scars. Its ears were jagged with small cuts trimming their edges. Zel found himself almost intimidated by the intensity of its stare and pushed it back down forcefully.

"I've got my eye on you, creep." he warned, fully aware he was speaking to a _dog_.

He quickly dressed and walked out towards the courtyard in need of fresh air to clear his tired mind. The sun warmed him, and he was beginning to feel a little better when Amelia found him.

"Good morning," she smiled tiredly and laughed a little, "Couldn't sleep either, huh?"

"Not really," he answered.

"Yeah," she fidgeted, "I couldn't stop thinking."

"Me either," he sighed and looked to her, "Amelia, what are we going to do? Where do we go from here?"

"I'm not sure I understand."

"I mean will things ever be the same between us? Yesterday you said I was scared, and you were right, but I don't need my enhanced senses to know you're scared too. Ever since I got back, I've been feeling you slip farther away from me, and I don't know why."

She looked surprised and turned her face away. "I doubt things will ever be the same after all that's happened. Four years is a long time, Zelgadis. Things change. _People_ change."

"I know _that_, but how much has _this_ changed? I've been wondering if we can really work through this."

"What are you saying?"

"I don't know." he shook his head, "I just feel like my whole world has turned its back on me."

"Zelgadis…" she placed a hand on his shoulder sympathetically, "I know. I'm so sorry you had to find out this way."

He rested his hand over hers. "Don't you start apologizing now. You'll make me feel bad." he said kindheartedly.

"I can't let you go and take all the heat," she smiled tenderly and looked behind her, "Listen, um, I have something I have to do this morning. I'd _really_ appreciate it if you could watch Aiden for a bit."

"A-are you sure?" he asked.

"Of course, silly!" she laughed, "You _are_ his dad after all. You two didn't really get a chance to interact yesterday anyway."

He looked over to where she had glanced back and saw the little boy playing with the dog from earlier.

"He shouldn't be any trouble, but just keep an eye on him for me."

"Okay," he said slightly uneasily.

"Well go on, get going!" she laughed and gave him a good shove, "I'll see you later."

Zel watched her leave and turned back to the boys. Finally, he decided to take a seat at the table she had been sitting at before. It was close enough to see them, but he had room to think about what the heck he was supposed to do with them. Once he sat down, though, they spotted him and bounded up to him excitedly.

"Hi, Mr. Zelgo…Mr. Zella…" Aiden fumbled, his brow now level in deep concentration as he tried to sound it out in his head.

"Hey, Aiden," Zelgadis looked at him amused, "You can just call me Zel if you want."

"Really? Okay!" he grinned, "Whatcha doin'?"

"Your mom wanted me to watch you while she was gone." he explained.

"Gone?" he looked back almost fearfully, "Where'd she go?"

He could sense the boy's trepidation and frantically tried to ease his stress. "D-don't worry, she's coming right back! She just had to do something for work."

Aiden looked up at him uncertainly, but he seemed to know what "work" meant. "Oh," he brightened a little and pulled at the dog's collar, "This is my doggie, Dracu." he puffed out his chest proudly.

He gave Dracu a knowing stare. "He's your dog?"

"Yep! He's the coolest doggie ever! Wanna see his special trick?" by now he'd forgotten all about his fear and was now bouncing with energy.

_He's so much like Amelia_, he thought fondly. "Sure," he smiled. He was beginning to feel hopeful. Maybe he _could _get used to this.

"Dracu," Aiden spoke with as much authority as his tiny voice could offer and pointed to Zel, "Kissy-kiss!"

Instantly, the chimera froze. Maybe he'd need a little more time. Dracu, his eyes sparkling, jumped up and smothered Zelgadis' face with slobber, and Aiden erupted into a fit of laughter.

"Get off, you crazy mutt!" he almost whined out, sputtering in shock as the dog landed a kiss in his open mouth.

Suddenly, Dracu's ears flattened and his tail tucked. He quickly got off of Zel and backed away with a fearful whine.

"Oh great, even after all this time, the dog's _still_ afraid of me." groaned a familiar female voice.

"Hi, Miss Lina! Hi, Mr. Gourry!" Aiden beamed and ran over to the sorceress and swordsman approaching them.

Zelgadis deflated. _Great, as if things weren't _already_ complicated._

**Author's Note:** I think that, so far, this chapter has been the most fun to write X3


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the wait, guys! I really needed to take a break on this and get cracking on my actual book. I can't get it published if it isn't finished! XD But I made time for this, because I really enjoy writing it, so here you go!

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**Just stay strong, because you know I'm here for you...**

"Hey there, squirt." Lina ruffled Aiden's bristly locks.

"You got big!" Gourry marveled.

Aiden giggled gleefully in response.

Lina looked at Zel, a disturbing Cheshire-cat grin spreading her lips. He knew that face, the infamous when-I-get-my-hands-on-you look. He watched as Dracu slowly cowered from her and hid behind him, and he couldn't help but wish he could do the exact same thing right about now. He quickly made a shushing gesture to her and swiped his hand frantically at his neck to tell her not to say what was on her mind.

"So I see Dracu's got a new friend." She acknowledged him but grinned even wider.

"Huh? Oh yeah!" He turned to look at Zelgadis again, "This my mommy's friend, Zel."

"We've met." She hissed sweetly through gritted teeth, "Gourry, you hang here with the kiddo while I have a chat with Zel."

Zelgadis whimpered inwardly and jumped as she smacked her palm against the back of his neck, smiling that acidic grin all the while, gripped his hood and dragged him off and around the corner. He felt like a helpless animal being picked off by a predator, and a mournful dirge resounded in his head as she stared him down.

"Alright, explain yourself! What's your angle getting Amelia knocked up and then just leaving!?" She barked.

"I didn't know!" He practically shouted, "How many times do I have to say it before it actually clicks!? I didn't know she was pregnant. If I did, I would've been back _a lot _sooner than now."

Lina scowled in frustrated defeat. "But still, how could you do it, Zel? Amelia's like a sister to me."

The chimera could sense the pain underneath her tone, and he sighed with guilty sympathy. "You know we never intended for this to happen. We weren't thinking straight, and things just sort of took off from there. I left the next day, so I didn't know about any of this until yesterday."

"A whopping four _years_ later! How do you stay away that long, anyway? You couldn't find the time to pay her a visit even _once_?"

"I'm sorry, okay?" He growled defensively, "I got carried away!"

Lina looked dubious, but she didn't press him further. "So...how does it feel being a dad?" She grinned slyly.

"Strange," he wouldn't lie, "and a little frightening."

"Aiden's a good kid." She smiled encouragingly.

"Yeah," he laughed a little, "He is. I see a lot of Amelia in him."

He looked back over and saw the boy riding atop Dracu's back as if he were a steed. He laughed wildly as they chased Gourry around the courtyard. Another question came to mind.

"By the way, what's with the dog? I don't remember him living here."

"Oh, he's my doing." She laughed, "Gourry and I found him in some small town, and 'jellyfish-for-brains' made the mistake of feeding him, so the dog just started following us. Did you get a look at his collar?"

"No, all I've seen of him is his mouth." He deadpanned.

She brushed off his remark and continued. "Well, there's some sort of amulet embedded into it that's teeming with some strange magic. We think it gives him the ability to understand humans."

Zel nodded as he remembered earlier that morning. The dog seemed to know what he was saying and even gave an answer of some form.

"So we kept him with us until Seyruun. Amelia was still pregnant with Aiden at the time, but he really took a shine to her, like he understood or something, so we gave him to her as a guard dog and companion. Aiden worships the ground that dog walks on, as you've probably seen." She explained.

"So why's he afraid of you?"

"The little thief stole my food." She said less enthusiastically.

"Hi, Lina!" A small voice yipped, and Zelgadis looked down to see a scruffy wolf-boy beaming at them both affably.

"Hey, Luca, are you looking for Aiden?" Lina asked kindly.

Zel just stared blankly confused.

"Uh-huh!" His little tail wagged excitedly as he looked at Zel curiously, "Who're you?"

"I'm Zelgadis." He raised a brow.

"He's a friend of Miss Amelia." Lina explained.

"Oh," he seemed satisfied for the most part, "Zelgo...uhm...Zeldago..."

"Zel's fine, too." Zelgadis sighed.

"Okay!"

"Aiden's over there with Gourry and Dracu." Lina pointed, and the boy left them eagerly.

Zel watched as Aiden was playfully tackled, and the boys laughed and played around.

"So how was Amelia when you saw her?"

Lina's question brought him back. "She was happy." He smiled fondly, but faded back to a melancholic grimace, "But she was afraid to tell me about Aiden. I still can't believe it."

Lina looked at a loss of what to say and finally rolled her eyes endearingly.

"Alright, I'm done interrogating you for now; we'll talk more later." She sighed and gave him a small push.

He turned back to her with a grateful smile. "Listen, Lina," he said quietly, "You were there for her when I wasn't. Thank you."

Lina grinned back knowingly and walked back to the others. "What kind of friend would I be if I hadn't been?"

Zel followed behind at his own pace and returned to his seat.

"So how've you been, Zel?" Gourry asked chipperly.

He stared at the swordsman in disbelief. _Really? _He wanted to say, _You don't know how I've been now that I know I've had a son for four years? _But he shrugged it off as best he could. Gourry had most likely forgotten, big surprise.

"I've been better." He answered distracted as he watched Aiden slowly make his way in his direction.

The boy was frantic as he romped around searching through the plants. He moved like a nervous rodent and finally made a mad dash for the man's cape, which draped over the back of the chair and easily touched the ground with its length. Quickly he wrestled with it until he was crouched part way under the chair with the pale fabric loosely wrapped around him.

Zel jumped in surprise and looked down to see his son smiling sheepishly back up at him.

"Something on your mind, kiddo?" He asked bluntly.

"Me and Luca are playing hide-and-go-seek, and he's the seeker."

"And this, of all the hiding places out here, is where you've chosen to hide?"

"Uh-huh!" He beamed.

"Well, you can't hide here."

"Ah!" He whimpered, "Pleeeaaassseee?"

"No"

"But he knows all the hiding spots!" He whined and donned an irresistable pout.

Zel thought that Amelia was the only one with the incredible ability to break through every barrier he erected and melt his heart like butter, but apparently he was wrong. That face caught him completely off guard, and he couldn't get it out of his head one the connection was made. He felt himself wavering in indecision and finally gave in.

"Alright, fine." He sighed as he sat back up.

"Yay!" He squealed triumphantly.

"But I'd keep your voice down. Your friend still has ears."

Lina was staring him down amused while Gourry just looked on blankly.

"What?" He asked defensively.

"Oh nothing!" She laughed, "By the way, where _is _Amelia?"

"She said she had something to take care of this morning, but she'll be back later."

"So _you_ get to babysit Aiden?" Her face lit up as she laughed teasingly, "That's fantastic!"

Zel scowled half-heartedly. He knew she was only teasing.

"So what have the two of you been up to?"

"Hm? Oh, just traipsing around. We stop by every so often to keep tabs on Amelia, and then, of course, Gourry here's still in need of a new sword." She replied, "You know, the usual stuff."

"That's all? I thought by now you guys would have gotten a little further in your relationship at least."

"Oh yeah, I forget you've been gone. Gourry and I have actually been married for almost a year."

Gourry smiled endearingly and place his hand over hers. "Yep!" He commented.

"Oh, well congrats." He said pleasantly, "It's about time."

He twitched slightly as Aiden finally wriggled out from underneath his cape and scampered off to find some new hiding spot, Luca having moved up far enough for him to move on.

"I need to figure out what my next move is." Zelgadis said once the boy was out of earshot, "Things can't stay like this forever."

"Have you talked to Amelia about it?"

"A little, she's been dealing with her own problems, too, though. Phil's not about to let go of his grudge, and I can't say I blame him."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Zel." Gourry pointed out, "It's not like you were purposely staying away."

"Yeah," he paused, "Well, I'm not leaving. That I'm sure of right now. I don't care what it means; it's the right thing to do."

"I'm glad to hear that." A sweet voice rang in his ears and made him smile as he looked back up at Amelia.

"That was fast." He remarked pleasantly.

"One of the guards told me you guys had come for a visit, so I came as soon as I could. Sorry to keep you all waiting."

"Don't worry about it. We've just been catching up with Zel here." Lina excused.

"I'll bet you were surprised." She laughed, "How was Aiden?"

"Good," he answered, "He's off playing with his friend."

She looked out and spotted him before returning her attention to them all. "That's good. I figured he'd be okay."

He got up and offered her his chair, which she took with thanks.

"So how long do you guys think you'll stay?"

Lina glanced around at her friends, Gourry nodding his encouragement.

"I think we'll be here a while." She grinned wide, "You guys need help, and we're here to provide."

Amelia looked hopeful. "Thanks, you guys."

Zel looked on feeling uplifted by the warmth of his friends. Sure, it was going to be a lot more interesting with Lina and Gourry in the mix, but he felt comforted by their support and knew it would all be just a little easier to handle. Somehow he sensed Amelia felt the same way.

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**Author's Note: **I never had trouble pronouncing Zelgadis, but I always imagined it was just the sort of thing a four-year-old would struggle with. That doesn't make Gourry look any smarter, I suppose XD Shut-up, it's an endearing character trait!


	6. Chapter 6

_**Let me see you through, 'cause I've seen the dark side too...**_

**The halls are dimly lit by torchlight, but his enhanced eyes are like flashlights piercing through the dark. He is uncertain as to why he wandering about the palace at this hour of night, but something drives him to do so, something beyond any form of higher reasoning. It is a feeling, an uncomfortable sensation flooding his chest with fire and ice. Something is wrong.**

**His frantic feet lead the way to a locked door, or so he thinks it is locked. He can hear something on the other side that sends cold shivers down his entire body, and for a moment, he is hesitant to investigate further. He tentatively places a hand on the door's handle, the cool brass quickly warming up and becoming slick under his sweating palm. Taking in a deep breath, he gives it a pull, and his heart skips a beat when it gives all the way smoothly. He has to know. He gives the door a push and hears it give a whisper of a whine, threatening to creak, but it stays silent for him. What he sees makes him wish it had made all the noise in the world, anything to distract him from the mind-shattering sight he is met with.**

**The room is dark, but he can still see clearly. A man, tall and lean with handsome features and a long head of charcoal black hair, with his arms locked tight around a thin petite form, their lips bonded in a passionate kiss. They realize that they are no longer alone and break apart to see their intruder. The man chuckles when he sees him, the action quickly escalating into a fit of uncontrollable and maniacal laughter. He is afraid, and his heart catches in his throat when he looks away at the woman. Looking back at him with bored contempt is Amelia.**

**A rush of anger, hurt and a sense of betrayal so strong courses through him and roots him in place. The shock of it won't let him look away or speak to her. He can only look on in horror. The man's cackles are in his head now, echoing in his ears, and he finally regains enough control to drop to his knees pitifully, cover his ears and close his eyes in a vain attempt to shut out everything. How could she? He looks back up when the man stops laughing and sees that he is now looming over him, amber eyes blazing in hungry amusement.**

"**How could **_**you**_**?" he laughs and grabs his throat.**

**He can feel his windpipe being crushed slowly as he struggles against the inhuman grip, and finally he becomes too weak to keep his eyes open. Amelia is still watching him, and for a moment, he is sure he sees the corner of her mouth twitch and curl up just slightly.**

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Zelgadis woke with a jolt, doused in a cold sweat. He was panting heavily as the adrenaline began to wear off, and his first instinct was to look around the room, just to be sure he wasn't still dreaming. He gave a slow sigh and rubbed his face wearily. It was still dark out, a gibbous moon casting partial light through the window. A flash of amber made him jump, but when he looked down he saw it was only Dracu watching him intently from the floor. Zel raised a brow at him.

"You, what did they say your name was again?" he spoke to the animal, rolling various names around in his head, "Dra-something, it sounded like dragon, Drago, Draco…ah, Dracu!"

Dracu hopped to his feet with an excited yip.

"No, I wasn't calling you!" he quickly tried to dispel the dog's enthusiasm, "Stay, sit, I don't care, but the bed's off limits."

He should have known better to try and reason with a dog, but with his mind in a jumble, the logic appeared sound. Dracu did the exact opposite and leaped up on the bed, quickly doing a couple of tight circles before curling up in a tight ball at the foot of the bed. He looked up at Zel with sad and soulful eyes.

"No, don't you start that too." Zel stood strong, "Aiden got me with that today. I won't let you too."

Dracu's resolve was unwavering, and Zel sighed in tired defeat, giving the dog a pat on the head.

"Well, I could use the company right now, I guess." He smiled a little, placing his hands on either side of the dog's face and lifting his eyes to meet his, "Lina tells me you've been a guard for Amelia and Aiden while I was gone." He gave Dracu a kind pet, "If you really can understand me, thank you."

Dracu whined in response, his ears drooping a little.

Zel let go and fell back again with a sigh as he stared up at the ceiling. "He's a good boy, but I feel so helpless around him. It doesn't help that I feel every eye in Seyrunn burning holes in my back when I so much as talk to him, but I suppose that can't be helped. Amelia would tell me not to worry, that it would blow over eventually." He smiled, "She's always done her best to reassure me and try to keep my spirits up." He looked a little hurt, "She still is even though she's dealing with a lot more than I am."

Soft snoring broke him free of his thinking aloud, and he sat up to see Dracu fast asleep. He deadpanned but sighed.

"Well, I guess just talking about it won't change anything." He murmured to himself as he lay down on his side and pulled the blanket over his shoulder.

He closed his eyes again, trying to go back to sleep, but he could still hear the man's maniacal cackle in his head.

_How could _you_?..._

He opened his eyes with a groan. Like he could fall asleep after that! He got up out of bed, Dracu barely stirring. The chimera man wandered the halls and found himself stopped in front of Amelia's door. For a moment, images of his dream came back to him, and he shook them away. It _was_ only a dream. She would never do that to him in a million years. He opened the door and closed it behind him quietly, not entirely sure of what he was doing, but going with it anyway. All he knew was he suddenly needed to see her.

Amelia was fast asleep in bed, her head poking out only slightly from her mass of covers. Zelgadis smiled fondly as he looked down at her and crouched down at the bedside to see her better. Her face had looked so troubled, so tired and broken, but now it was tranquil. In sleep she was at peace, and he remembered this look well, the look of contentment and happiness. Those cool summer nights felt so far away, but he could remember still, the way she sighed leaning against him, their arms wrapped around each other tight.

He smiled at the memories and gave her a small kiss on the lips. "I'll make this right again." He whispered to her, "I don't know how yet, but I will."

He stood to leave, and a door he didn't recall being there before caught his eye. Curiously, he walked over to it and opened it slowly to reveal a smaller adjoining bedroom. It took a moment for him to realize this was one of the more luxurious guest rooms, or at least it used to be. Someone must have installed the door for easier access, and when he got a better look at the room, he understood why.

A colorful print decorated with lions covered the walls, shelves displaying various toy figurines and a few plush animals placed over the paper. More toys lay around a large wooden chest, an ornate dresser placed next to it. A small bed sat at the other end of the room off to one side with a rocking chair placed beside it, a small lump in the covers telling him who was asleep. This was Aiden's room.

Zel wasn't sure he should be in here. Perhaps the lack of sleep had his mind in a fog, but regardless of that thought, his impulses compelled him to go over to the bed. The little boy had fallen asleep on his stomach, head turned to the right, arms up around his head, one holding a plush cat. For a while, Zel could only look at his son in awe, watching his little chest rise and fall.

This was his boy. He'd never dreamed of ever having one. It just never felt like it was an option for him, so he'd put it out of his mind years and years ago, but there he was, his own flesh and blood lying there in that bed. Tentatively, Zelgadis reached out and very gently and softly pet the top of Aiden's little head. He smiled warmly, feeling the little bristles.

"He really is beautiful." A sleepy murmur made him jump back.

Amelia was standing in the open doorway with fond, albeit sleepy, smile.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be in here." The heat rushing to his face told him he was blushing out of embarrassment.

Amelia giggled quietly, a sound he always loved to hear, and moved to stand next to him at the bedside. "It's okay. You're his dad." She reassured him, hugging him gently.

The chimera man smiled and hugged her back, pulling her close. "I am." He agreed thoughtfully.

"He grows on you fast." She laughed sweetly, looking at the sleeping boy, "What did he do today when you were watching him?"

"He was playing hide-and-seek with his little friend. He was using my cape as a hiding place for a while."

"That's so cute." She hummed pleasantly, "What do you think of him?"

"He's a good boy, so much like his mother." He smiled, "He's got a good heart. I know it sounds a little selfish, but I'm glad he doesn't look too much like me."

"I don't think it sounds selfish. I understand your concern." She gave him a comforting squeeze, "So long as Aiden's happy, so am I."

"Me too."

"How are you handling all of this? You sound like you're doing better."

"I am." He nodded, "I think I may be warming up to being a dad. It's a start anyway." He looked down at her with a smile, "But I promise you I'm here to stay."

Her eyes welled up a little as she buried her face in his chest. "Oh, Zelgadis." She sniffled happily and pulled away, "Come on, let's let him sleep." She led him out of Aiden's room, closing the door softly behind her.

"Being in here again makes me think about those nights we spent together." Zel grinned.

Amelia hummed a small laugh. "Those nights were the greatest of my life. You'd sit up against the headboard and let me sit in your lap, and we'd spend hours talking to each other until we fell asleep."

"We never ran out of things to say." Zel laughed reminiscently, "We could have talked forever if time allowed."

Amelia sat back down on the bed. "I don't ever want to run out of things to say to you."

Zel bent down and gave her a kiss. "If you do, I'll say everything for you, and you can just rest your head and listen. You've done so much already. I love you."

"I love you too." She hummed sleepily as she settled back into bed.

"Sweet dreams, Amelia." He stroked her cheek lovingly, "I'll see you in the morning."

As her eyes closed, a smile creased her lips pleasantly. "Zelgadis…" she slurred a sigh as she drifted off to sleep.

Zel left her room quietly and traveled leisurely back to his own room. He snorted a small laugh when he saw Dracu had taken the new space to his advantage and had sprawled out along the full length and width of the bed.

"Oh no you don't." he picked the dog up and set him at the foot of the bed again, "Don't push your luck, mutt."

He slid back into bed, the memory of his traumatizing dream having faded, and as he started to fall asleep again, a new feeling of relief, and maybe even happiness, washed over him.

"_Sweet dreams, Aiden…"_

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Author's Note: As I say almost every time I watch Star Trek lately, "That's a way to start an episode!" The dream might not make sense for a while, but I assure you, it's important. So we end on a sweet note this time X3 Zel will need time, but he's getting there.


End file.
